The Hillians produced what manager Tom Clingo described as “our best day yet” under sunny skies at an enthralled Leylands Park.

The hosts were looking to defend an impressive 100% league record at the MTC Stadium since their inception last summer, and Horsham provided what is, to date,  undoubtedly the sternest test to that statistic. The visitors have been mainstays at the top echelons of the SCWGFL Premier Division in recent seasons and it was indeed them who took the early initiative, with former Hillian Bo Barker pouncing on an error and smashing the ball brilliantly into the top corner. 1-0 Hornets after just two minutes.

Hill continued to be brave in possession after the break and the response took just 5 minutes. Usual suspect Brogan Kirk standing up her defender and bending in a sumptuous strike into the far corner to beat the Hornets GK and level things up. Hill kept the pressure on after the equaliser and the crazy opening to the game continued when Kirk shifted the ball onto her left foot to smash home from outside the box and make it 2-1 to the hosts with just 13 minutes played.

The game ebbed and flowed with Horsham beginning to find their footing a little more and both teams producing chances. The Hillians’ defensive intensity paid off just after the half hour mark when Jazz Ross, who was brilliant all afternoon, pinched the ball in midfield. Ross then beat one player to create a 2v1 before teeing up the composed Lottie Cheverton to take a touch and slot home for 3-1. Minutes later however, Horsham pounced on another error in possession and smashed home to pull one back. HT 3-2.

The second half began much the same way as the first, with both sides producing chances before Horsham began to ring the changes. With the Hillians now tiring and the Hornets beginning to dominate possession, much of the game was played in the home side’s half. The hosts back line and brilliant goalkeeper Evie Herridge were called into action on numerous occasions, as Horsham began to throw bodies forward and put numbers in the penalty area.

Hill stood strong- at times with 11 players behind the ball and began to make changes of their own to regain some more control in the game. After defending what felt like constant corners, the key moment came when Alicia Haworth made a brilliant burst forwards from left back. Haworth, having won the ball on the edge of her own box, beat multiple Hornets in a lung-busting 60 yard run before finally bamboozling Horsham’s last defender. She then perfectly weighted a pass into McNaboe who beautifully lobbed the Hornets keeper to send most of the 200 or so inside the MTC wild. In the remaining minutes, the Hornets huffed and puffed but Hill stood firm to see out a brilliant victory and take all three points.

After the game, Tom Clingo said: “I’m honestly over the moon and I’m so proud of every single player, coach, volunteer and everyone connected with the football club. That’s our best day yet for me since we started last summer. They’re a quality side and beating them feels like a glass ceiling moment for us.

We have to build on these kind of results and we know we have a really tough run of fixtures coming up. For now we have to enjoy this though- there’s no point playing the game if you don’t get to enjoy days like today.

I’m so grateful to our supporters. I hope they enjoyed today, it was an absolutely ridiculous game of football. Credit to Horsham for how much they contributed to it. We need to stay humble and keep working hard. I’m not really thinking about the table or any of that sort of stuff- for us it’s year one at this level so we’re really focused on our process and making sure we perform at a great level. We showed what we’re capable of today.”

Team: Herridge, Fenton, Walker, Kirk, Cheverton, Ross, Oakley, Bryant, Livingstone (C), Johnson, McNaboe

Subs (all used): Horton, Haworth, Smyth, Geraghty-Shewan